Tapestry by Burton Hallie

Author:Burton, Hallie [Burton, Hallie]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Harmony Ink Press
Published: 2013-03-13T16:00:00+00:00

TALLIE rolled onto his stomach on the cushion of moss and watched Jonis coax lovely sounds from the nightlark. The sun was hot on his scalp and his bare back, but the water was close and the heat wasn’t uncomfortable yet. His hair was still wet from the last dunking in the stream, and he wanted to bake the last of the chill from his bones before going back in. He was still a little self-conscious about bathing naked, but there was no one to see him but Jonis, and it felt fine to bask with the sun touching every inch of him. The sounds of the nightlark matched his mood and made him disinclined to move from this spot. However, move he did, and quickly when he felt a sudden, sharp pain.

Jonis dropped the nightlark, his eyes widening in alarm as Tallie jumped up with a loud cry. After a moment, he spotted the trouble and called to Tallie to stand still. Jonis plucked the moss-bee from Tallie’s shoulder and threw it toward the water. “You got stung,” he said.

“By what? It feels like I have a red-hot needle in my shoulder.”

“When have you been stuck with a red-hot needle?”

“I’ve been stuck by a needle, and I know what hot feels like. Ow!” Tallie flinched when Jonis touched a fingertip to the rapidly swelling flesh around the tiny red puncture wound.

“You aren’t one of those people who swell up, are you?” Jonis rubbed gently at the top of Tallie’s shoulder.

“No. Not so far.” Tallie grimaced. “It really burns, though.”

“The water might help.”

Tallie agreed, but he didn’t move right away. Jonis’s touch was soothing, making him forget about the shock and pain of the sting. His eyelids drooped, and he swayed slightly, subtly shifting his weight from foot to foot as Jonis stroked his back and shoulders. A droning in his ears that might have been the bees among the moss roses lulled him into a standing doze. The light on the water dazzled him, and he closed his eyes.

“Tallie?”

Tallie heard the concern in Jonis’s voice, but putting thoughts into words was too much effort. Turning to face his friend, he opened his arms and reached for him. He felt Jonis’s surprise and almost backed away, but then Jonis’s arms went around his waist and held onto him. It felt odd for just a moment, and then they relaxed, leaning into each other, breathing in and out as time stretched into eternity.

Jonis might have been content to stand like this forever, but then Tallie raised his head. Their eyes met and held as they drifted closer until their lips met. The first kiss was tentative. Each drew back a bit and then leaned forward again, faces tilted to new angles, mouths coming solidly together before softening, melding. The warm, wonderful feeling Tallie had felt when Worran kissed him flooded every cell of his body. Nervously, Tallie drew back.

“That was unexpected,” Jonis said softly.

“I wanted to do it.” Tallie couldn’t meet Jonis’s eyes.

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